Social Influence - Prosocial Behavoir

Question 1

What is pro social behaviour?

Answer 1

Acting in a way that promotes the welfare of others

Question 2

What’s bystander behaviour?

Answer 2

Research by Darley and Latane suggests people are less willing to help if there are other bystanders

Question 3

What’s diffusion of responsibility?

Answer 3

When there are lots of people around, people are less helpful

Question 4

Aim of Piliavins study

Answer 4

To investigate if certain characteristics of a victim would affect whether people will help a bystander in a natural setting.

Question 5

Method of Piliavins study

Answer 5

A male confederate collapses on a New York City subway train, either appearing drunk or disabled (with a cane).
103 trials.
One confederate acted as a ‘model’ if no one else helped.
2 observers recorded key info

Question 6

Results of Piliavins study

Answer 6

‘Disabled’ victim (with cane) was given help in 95% of the trials.
‘Drunk’ victim was helped in 50% of the trials.
Help was forthcoming as much in a crowded carriage as in a carriage with very few people.

Question 7

Conclusions of Piliavins study

Answer 7

Characteristics of the victim affect whether they will receive help.
In a natural setting the number of people who witness an emergency doesn’t affect their willingness to help.

Question 8

Explain one strength of Piliavins subway study (natural behaviour)

Answer 8

One strength of this study is that participants did not know their behaviour was being studied.
The subway train passengers did not know they were in a study so responded to the emergency as they would’ve naturally.
This means that the results of this study are high in validity.

Question 9

Explain one strength of Piliavins subway study (data)

Answer 9

One strength of this study was that qualitative data was also collected.
The two observers on each trial noted down remarks they heard from passengers.
This offered a deeper insight into why people did or did not offer help.

Question 10

Explain one weakness of Piliavins subway study

Answer 10

One weakness of the study is that the participants came mostly from a city.
They may have been more used to these types of emergencies and ignoring them.
This means that their behaviour may not have been typical of all people.